Losing weight won’t cure your diabetes, but it will make it far more manageable.
If you have Type 2 diabetes, you know what you eat is important to how you feel. But healthy eating combined with regular exercise can not only help you lose weight, it can also reverse the progress of your diabetes.
Several studies have shown that people with prediabetes can stop the progression to full diabetes after weight loss and lifestyle changes. Another British study showed that almost half of the people with diabetes who lost weight and kept it off for a year reverted to a prediabetes state and no longer needed medications. The more weight they lost, the better their numbers looked.
Diets That Can Help Diabetes
As always, your healthcare provider is your best source of advice about what type of diet and exercise plan you should try. He or she may be able to connect you with a dietitian or wellness coach covered by your insurance who can help you learn what foods to skip and how to plan meals.
One type of diet that’s shown promise for people with high fasting blood sugar levels in a recent study is a high-fiber, low-glycemic diet, although further research is ongoing. More importantly, you should focus on controlling portion sizes, eating plenty of low-starch vegetables and limiting carbohydrates.
Handle Your Hunger Cravings
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s hard to not eat when you feel hungry. And if you’re making major changes to your diet at the same time, giving up your go-to snack foods can make that even harder. But there are things you can do to curb your cravings.
- Drink a glass of water.
- Go for a short walk.
- Don’t wait until you’re starving to eat, or you may overeat.
- Pause and ask yourself if you want to eat for an emotional reason. Use HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired?) before snacking.
- Call or text a friend, especially someone who understands your struggles.
Sources:
spectrum.diabetesjournals.org, thelancet.com, now.tufts.edu, niddk.nih.gov, diabetes.org, cdc.gov, cdc.gov, heart.org
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